Soros gives $75K to Dem super PAC

In an encouraging sign for Democrats hoping to counter big-money conservative groups and their impact on the 2012 campaign, a host of wealthy liberals – including billionaire financier George Soros – contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to a new Democratic group supporting House candidates that aired ads in last month’s special election in New York.

In addition to Soros’s $75,000 contribution, hedge fund billionaire Donald Sussman – a major donor who this month married Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) – gave $150,000 and Chicago media magnate Fred Eychaner, a major donor to President Barack Obama, gave $100,000.

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In all, House Majority PAC – a so-called super PAC that can raise unlimited money from individuals, corporations and unions – this week reported raising $800,000 in the two months leading up to the election, which was won by Democrat Kathy Hochul.

To be sure, that pales in comparison to the $3.8 million raised in the first six months of the year by the leading Republican super PAC, American Crossroads, which also was active in the New York special election and reported its finances this week.

But House Majority PAC’s haul is nonetheless significant, both because it seems to signal that the left is ready to take advantage of the channels for unlimited political fundraising and spending that conservatives used to great effect during last year’s midterm elections, and because the donors listed on House Majority PAC’s report have the wealth to contribute much more to the PAC and others.

And a handful of labor unions – including the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees – gave a combined $300,000.

American Crossroads, meanwhile, received almost all of its cash – $3.7 million – from just a handful of millionaires and corporations. Investor and former Univision chairman Jerry Perenchio gave $2 million through his trust. Dallas investor Robert Rowling, whose firm owns Omni Hotels and Gold’s Gym, gave $1 million. Texas homebuilder Bob Perry gave $500,000. And Texas investor J.J. Matthews and West Virginia’s Foresight Management each gave $100,000.

Most of Crossroads major donors have previously given heavily to the group, which last cycle combined with a sister outfit, Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, to they raised more than $70 million, with most of it - $43 million – going to Crossroads GPS.

The big donations to House Majority PAC mostly came after the operatives behind House Majority PAC and a few linked groups traveled to California to pitch a meeting of a wealthy liberal donor network run by - among others - Sussman and Michael Vachon, a top Soros aide.

The Democratic political class in recent months has been closely watching Soros, whom they regard as a bellwether of sorts for the intentions of other major donors. Since he contributed more than $20 million to Democratic advertising and get-out-the vote efforts in the run-up to the 2004 presidential election, Soros has focused his domestic giving on more less-electorally oriented groups, including the Center for American Progress.

But Vachon said House Majority PAC is the only super PAC to which Soros has given.